For students interested in a leadership role in a health care organization, the nursing administration and leadership concentration at the VCU School of Nursing offers a flexible and rewarding career path. Over the past three decades, this concentration has gained a reputation for educating some of the nation’s top nursing leaders. With a vision of shaping the future of health care through innovative nursing leadership, the NAL concentration prepares nurses to play an essential systems-level role in promoting and sustaining high-quality and safe patient care. Students gain advanced knowledge and skills in the areas of leadership, administration, management, health care finance, budgeting, outcomes management and evidence-based organizational practices in health care.

Graduates of the NAL concentration are prepared to succeed in nursing leadership positions and are eligible, depending on employment role, to apply for several different nursing administration certification exams offered through the American Nurses Credentialing Center of the American Nurses Association or the American Organization of Nurse Executives.

Understand the implications of social, cultural, economic, policy and organizational systems that impact practice and outcomes

Synthesize evidence for practice to determine appropriate application of interventions across diverse populations and settings

Use quality processes and improvement science to evaluate care and ensure patient safety for individuals, populations and systems

Integrate organizational science and technology to make changes in the care environment to improve health outcomes and practice efficiency

VCU Graduate Bulletin, VCU Graduate School and general academic policies and regulations for all graduate students in all graduate programs

The VCU Graduate Bulletin website documents the official admission and academic rules and regulations that govern graduate education for all graduate programs at the university. These policies are established by the graduate faculty of the university through their elected representatives to the University Graduate Council.

It is the responsibility of all graduate students, both on- and off-campus, to be familiar with the VCU Graduate Bulletin as well as the Graduate School website and academic regulations in individual school and department publications and on program websites. However, in all cases, the official policies and procedures of the University Graduate Council, as published on the VCU Graduate Bulletin and Graduate School websites, take precedence over individual program policies and guidelines.

Degree candidacy requirements

A graduate student admitted to a program or concentration requiring a final research project, work of art, thesis or dissertation, must qualify for continuing master’s or doctoral status according to the degree candidacy requirements of the student’s graduate program. Admission to degree candidacy, if applicable, is a formal statement by the graduate student’s faculty regarding the student’s academic achievements and the student’s readiness to proceed to the final research phase of the degree program.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following degree candidacy policy as published in the VCU Graduate Bulletin for complete information and instructions.

Graduation requirements

As graduate students approach the end of their academic programs and the final semester of matriculation, they must make formal application to graduate. No degrees will be conferred until the application to graduate has been finalized.

Graduate students and program directors should refer to the following graduation requirements as published in the Graduate Bulletin for a complete list of instructions and a graduation checklist.

Other information

Our international and non-native English-speaking students bring different perspectives and new thinking to our nursing programs. To ensure that all incoming student are prepared for the school’s academic rigor, all international applicants and non-native English speaking applicants without a degree from a U.S. high school, college or university must provide additional information with their applications according to the English language proficiency guidelines on the program admission tab.

Be eligible for readmission or in good standing at the last college attended

Be a graduate of an accredited (ACEN, CCNE or CNEA) master’s or doctoral nursing degree program (Applicants to the post-master’s certificate nurse practitioner concentrations must hold a master’s or doctoral degree as an advanced practiced registered nurse (NP or CNS) from an accredited [ACEN, CCNE or CNEA] program.)

Have a current unrestricted R.N. license or authorization to practice as an R.N. in the U.S.

Provide additional information with the application according to the English language proficiency guidelines in the VCU Bulletin for applicants who are international or non-native English speakers without a degree from a U.S. high school, college or university

Degree requirements

Thirty-eight graduate credit hours are required for the Post-master’s Certificate in Nursing with a concentration in nursing administration and leadership.

Complete all requirements for the prescribed curriculum within six calendar years of the first registration for work to be credited toward the degree

Earn a minimum grade of B or pass grade in all nursing courses

Earn a minimum cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale in all work presented for graduation

Conform to School of Nursing policies in respect to pass/fail grading for course work or thesis study

The degree will be granted only after all requirements have been fulfilled and all fees to the university have been paid. Degrees are not granted in absentia unless written request is made to the dean and permission is granted.